At least 15 people are feared dead after a compound wall collapsed and damaged three houses in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore Monday morning as heavy rains continued to lash several districts including Chennai.
Several more people are feared trapped under the debris following the wall collapse in Nadoor Kannappan Layout in Mettupalayam.
Rescue operations are underway to help the trapped residents.
Tamil Nadu government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to families of those who lost their lives in the wall collapse.
Three people had earlier died in Tamil Nadu in different parts in rain-related incidents.
Water entered houses in Chennai, and streets were left waterlogged after the city received heavy rainfall Sunday evening. The rain has partially submerged more than 100 houses in the outskirts of Chennai. Chennai City Corporation has opened helplines for people who need assistance to drain out the water.
The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Tiruvallur, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram today. Schools in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Chennai have been shut in view of the situation.
Examinations of Madras University and Anna University scheduled for Monday have been postponed in view of heavy rainfall forecast in the area.
Meanwhile, holiday has been declared for today in schools in Puducherry in view of heavy rainfall forecast in the area.
After heavy rains battered Puducherry over the past few days, LG Dr Kiran Bedi took stock of the situation by visiting affected areas on Saturday. Bedi along with her team also paid a visit to Rainbow Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Indira Gandhi Square and Natesan Nagar.
Six fishing boats were damaged after hitting the shore in the coastal area of Mandapam Sunday night.
Heavy rains lashed many parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry on Sunday with the northeast monsoon triggering a heavy spell in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that due to convergence of strong northeasterly winds, the ongoing heavy to very heavy rainfall activity over Tamil Nadu is very likely to continue during the next two days.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely to occur at isolated places over Kerala, Lakshadweep and coastal and south interior Karnataka during the same period, the weather department added.